It’s not Russell vs. Cable

Best guess at this point is still that Tom Cable goes and JaMarcus Russell stays, but to assume the their fates are intertwined would be to ignore how Al Davis operates.

When Cable said at his season-ending press conference the Raiders could have been a playoff team had it not been for quarterback play, it was viewed in some quarters as a “him or me” moment.

How could the Raiders possibly have Cable back as the coach and Russell still on the roster?

The same way they had Lane Kiffin as head coach and Rob Ryan, a coach he did not want, as defensive coordinator.

The same way they kept Mike Lombardi around even though Art Shell considered him a “fox in the hen house,” knowing that Lombardi had pushed for Bobby Petrino as the head coach.

The same way Shell and Jerry Porter, the moody No. 2 receiver, were allowed into a season-long cold war that benefitted no one.

The same way Randy Hanson showed up back at work on Dec. 9 in the same building as the man against whom he had hoped to press charges for assault.

The same way Shell was put in the position of having Marcus Allen stifled on the bench while his teammates smoldered because Allen had waged a public war with Davis over money after rejecting a lucrative contract offer.

Although both Cable and Kiffin have espoused changing the culture, promoted locker room harmony and a “playing for each other” philosophy, Davis doesn’t believe in chemistry. He considers it nonsense, something players say about a team after it has won games.

“I don’t believe in chemistry” is right up there with “I don’t believe in chain of command” in Davis’ press conference statements which explain a lot about the organization.

You put the most talented group of players together as possible, don’t concern yourself with how they fit together, and it’s up to the coaches to get them ready to play, ready to win.

If there are disagreements or issues along the way, so be it. There will be conflict among men in any endeavor of high competition. That Cable and Randy Hanson had issues was no big deal. The problem from Davis’ perspective was that it got Cable in the news, along with the ESPN allegations of alleged domestic violence, and Davis would prefer his coaches to recede into the silver and black background.

Here Davis had given Cable the opportunity he’d always coveted, and Cable winds up a daily news story for reasons other than play on the field.

He’s also got issues with 17 touchdowns in 16 games and another 5-11 record.

Davis isn’t pleased with Russell, either. Otherwise, he would have never told Cable, “You’re the coach, you make the call,” knowing full well his handpicked quarterback would be sent to the bench.

Judging from the public backing of the Russell-in-Vegas brushfire and common sense, the quarterback isn’t going anywhere for the time being. Davis bided his time with Robert Gallery, Michael Huff and Nnamdi Asomugha, he’ll do the same for Russell unless there are issues with go far beyond work ethic and immaturity. He’s not worried about how keeping Russell will “lose the locker room” because there’s no locker room to be lost. It doesn’t exist.

But if Cable goes, Russell will be only a small part of the equation. Davis has never cared about chemistry before, and there’s no reason to think he’s changed his philosophy.

If Cable somehow makes it through, chances are Russell will be there as well, as well as a round of minicamp and training camp stories wondering how it could have possibly happened.

Harbaugh . . . again

In an annual rite of January, Profootballtalk.com became the outlet to throw out the first Harbaugh, reporting that Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh is a “stealth” candidate for the Raiders (and Bills) job.

Any chance he can bring Andrew Luck with him?

Also a familiar name in the rumor mill _ Montreal Alouettes coach and former Raiders coach Marc Trestman, per National Football Post.

new englandraider Says:
January 8th, 2010 at 11:51 am
watch al do something stupid come draft day. instead of trading down 3 spots to get out of the top 10, he will just “pass” 3x instead of picking up an additional draft pick. WATCH
____________

now that’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout. Would look damned fine gettin’ off the bus (the Raider way).
________________________

I have inside information that she performed VERY well at the WonderLICK.

http://none The Real MaddenRaider

Amy Trask? Why not hire a smart female?

new englandraider

may as well just pass until the 3rd round starts

El Tato

B O R I N G

When are we going to start to release players?

new englandraider

dakota
LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOO. the wonderlick

new englandraider

espera-te

Zymurge

> zymurge
let us not sugarcoat anything. fuggin henderson was decent 1st half of year, and horrible the 2nd half.

—–

I think it’s fair to say that his worst games came when he had someone other than Gallery next to him at LG. All OLs, and maybe more so those in the ZBS, are all about synergy. The collective talent makes those around them better.

Either way, I think we can all agree that he regressed from what he showed us at the end of last season. My belief is that it’s directly related to less OL focus from Cable.

Kirk Morrison, Oakland Raiders (28)
Morrison has been a fixture for in the Raiders starting lineup for his entire five year career now. Morrison is as sure a tackler as any in the league, amassing 100 for his 5th straight year. He doesn’t make many big plays from MIKE linebacker, but is the most consistent down-to-down player the Raiders have. Of all their priorities this season, Seymour and Morrison should be 1-2 on the list, respectively. If they lose Morrison, the porous run defense will become that much worse.

My question would be, why the hell does she have any input whatsoever in how will or will not be our HC?

GET A GM AL!!!!!

El Tato

“Morrison is as sure a tackler as any in the league, amassing 100 for his 5th straight year. He doesn’t make many big plays from MIKE linebacker, but is the most consistent down-to-down player the Raiders have. If they lose Morrison, the porous run defense will become that much worse.”

My question would be, why the hell does she have any input whatsoever in WHO will or will not be our HC?

GET A GM AL!!!!!

http://none The Real MaddenRaider

Dakota,

How do you know Trask wanted Belichick?

How can you say that anyone who has worked for Al Davis throughout the past 7 years, without either taking some kind of a stand or jumping ship, is smart? There isn’t one single smart person in this organization right now.

new englandraider

morrison sux. flat out horrible. said it a million and one times. dude never in the right spot. always sucked into the line. always running up one of the dlinemans aSSes. rather keep howard. if we do keep cpt kirk he MUST be moved outside

Pete Carroll is the guy Seahawks are targeting. It is expected to happen, according to sources. Just reported to ESPN 10 minutes ago.<—— Ha! Go Bears!

new englandraider

el tato..
one word? esperate. no hyphen? espera-te? mariposa

http://www.actionext.com/playlist_57486.html La Milicia Negra

—“A league source tells the National Football Post that Marc Trestman of the CFL’s Montreal Allouettes is a “strong candidate” to be the Raiders’ next head coach. Trestman has extensive NFL experience on the assistant level and has been linked to the Raiders before. He also coordinated Oakland’s offense in 2002, leading the unit to a No. 1 overall ranking. Trestman, however, is signed with Montreal through 2012, and it’s unclear if he’d break that contract.”—

tree years too late, I’d like him to be the OC though, and keep the continuity cable started, even though i dont like him, but thats is mostly because he stinks as playcaller, leave that to Trestman, make Cable focus more on o-line, and we have an offense…

Al Davis said that when he hired Gruden Trask had wanted to hire Belichick.

El Tato

get a true MLB should be one of this off-season priorities

Thats why probably we wont get one

Florida Pete

i don’t see how any conversation about a female head coach can be had without mentioning Maria Sharapova…

raiderzmaverick

# Dakota Says:
January 8th, 2010 at 11:32 am

I would rather have Cable over Mora Jr…….and Art Shell…..and Robiskie…..and Bugel, White, and Callahan….
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True. I think he’d do better, but he needs Offensive Coordinator help. Badly.

new englandraider

el tato
i’ve been practicing my spanish. my boy hector is always forcing me to say shyt. most of which i got no clue as to what im saying. i must learn a little bit because if i don’t, someone is probably gonna kick my a$$.
tortuga=turtle
cornejo=rabbit
lol

http://www.actionext.com/playlist_57486.html La Milicia Negra

# 408RAIDER Says:
January 8th, 2010 at 12:03 pm

LMN

we don’t need any more whiner castoffs do we?
_______________________________________________________

look into history, lots of our greats has been a 9’er, players and coaches…. gruden was a 9’er, if it takes us to steal half their team and staff to make us a playoff team id do it in a heartbeat… im not like you guys with the hate toward 9’ers… to me they are just another football team thats not the raiders…

DMAC

Laila Ali for HC.

new englandraider

oh and i know how to say yes… SI

raiderzmaverick

Yeah, but Belicheck wouldn’t have lasted past his first season here. 1st year in New England they got worse and were 5-11. They lost 2 or 3 more games than the year before. So, he’d then be outta here and into some other HC gig….so it’s a good thing he chose Gruden over Belicheck

new englandraider

how about jerry rice’s mother.. condeleesa(sp)

new englandraider

belliCHOKE is a belliCHEAT

raiderzmaverick

# Florida Pete Says:
January 8th, 2010 at 12:07 pm

i don’t see how any conversation about a female head coach can be had without mentioning Maria Sharapova…
—————————————-
Florida Pete….you’re nutz. I don’t know how you could think of including Maria Sharapova in the Head Coaching search. It’s Maria Sharapova for President